Ukrainians must have opportunity to decide on their future

Speaking in a European Parliament debate today on the situation in Ukraine, GUE/NGL MEP Helmut Scholz called for an end to the “social conflict” facing the country.

MEPs debated the current crisis in a debate that focused on the outcome of the Vilnius summit and the future of the Eastern Partnership.

Scholz said: “Our group would always support an EU acting to prevent an escalation of domestic political crises, but then we should discuss here how to go about prevention, tied to a policy of non-intervention and moderation. Ukraine is going through a social conflict which has the dangerous potential to destabilise the situation. This conflict is homemade at its core and is about overcoming the current economic difficulties and improving the social perspective for the country.”

Commenting on Mrs Ashton's presence in Kiev to act as a 'mediator', Scholz added: “How does Mrs Ashton expect to act as a mediator if the Commission has dismissed the demand for a referendum in Ukraine, simply because the demand for a referendum came from leftists? We have also not heard anything about the Svoboda fascists.

“There is only one way out for all the citizens of Ukraine, from Lviv and Odessa to Donetsk and Sevastopol, and of course in Kiev, and this is to allow them the opportunity to decide about their future. The EU has to do everything it can to ensure that this is made a reality.”

GUE/NGL Press Contacts:

Emily Macintosh +32 470 85 05 08

Gay Kavanagh +32 473 84 23 20